A comparison study of preferred green building criteria among management and occupants

Abstract

It is the responsibility of management to provide a workplace that is safe and comfortable. But it also depends on how occupant react to the facilities provided. Green building has been known as a building that can reduce the environmental impact, reduce electricity usage, manage water efficiently and provide many benefits to its occupants. Green building initiative in Malaysia was introduced by Green Building Index (GBI) in 2008. This index has been extended to government building in 2012 by Public Work Department of Malaysia namely Green Recognition Assessment Scheme or PH JKR. The four major criteria used as an assessment scheme of government green building is based on the energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, material resources and water efficiency. The sustainable site planning and innovation criteria has been excluded in the research for they are not related directly to the concerns and comfortability of building occupants and the building may not sustain. Previous studies suggested that management and occupants have their own preference. If the preference are not identified, this will affect the comfortability among the occupants and the performance of the building. The objective of this research intends to investigate the differences between occupants and management preferred green building criteria and propose optimum green building profiles for the implementation and promotion of green workplace. Total 120 set questionnaires have been distributed and collected among the management and occupants of Johor Port Authority in which, 106 from the occupants and 14 is from the management. Choice-Based Conjoint (CBC) Analysis is used to analyses the collected data. Through conjoint analysis, a combination of preferred green building criteria by the management and occupant are revealed. Findings showed that both stakeholders shared the same preferred green building criteria whereby indoor environmental quality has become their top priority followed by water efficiency, energy efficiency and lastly material and resources. The surprising findings that there are no differences in between the management and occupants may due to the building is publicly owned, the construction and maintenance budget are not derived from the company itself. Same opinion will benefit the organization and this study can be a good reference to Johor Port Authority and Public Work of Department for continuous improvement.